The Angel of Hell's Kitchen
by AMessofADreamerx
Summary: After a string of murders of call girls in the city, both Daredevil and Matt Murdock befriend Angel, a new masked vigilante with powers that makes her live up to her name, and Tessa Smith, one of the girls who doesn't remember a life not doing what she does. Unbeknownst to Matt, they are one and the same, and figures from her past threaten to be the downfall of Hell's Kitchen.
1. And The Angel Was Reborn

**AND THE ANGEL WAS REBORN**

Most people would tell her if she valued her life, even as a prostitute, Tessa Smith wouldn't be walking down a dark alley by herself in the middle of the night. Her heels, that are pointy enough to be a weapon (read: have been used as a weapon), clacked against the trash littered pavement nonetheless. The leather pants that were more of a second skin than anything and her corset crop top told everyone what area of town she's coming from.

Call girl, prostitute, whore, hooker, tramp… she's been called it all and will be called it all again. She has done it all and will do it all again. Tessa knows what she is, who she is, and what she won't ever be. She's known from a young age she was good at sex. Tess may have started at the bottom, but she's now at the top, and she won't relinquish that title to anyone.

But some of her fellow girls haven't been so lucky.

Tessa pulled out her phone and glanced at the clock. She has time to put on many costumes before the sun breaks over the horizon, but she has a feeling she'll be spending the rest of the night in one particular.

When she first told her manager she wanted the late night off, he laughed in her face. And then Tessa put in his mind the lonely at home mothers with secret fantasies she could indulge, and suddenly it wasn't so funny anymore.

Back at her apartment, Tess slipped into her alter-ego's costume. A white corset with lace sleeves and hood, hiding her pale blonde hair, matching leather pants that she chose for the threaded angel wings that wrapped around her legs, only visible if you're close enough to pull them off, and the simple, swirling mask following the color theme of the rest of the outfit, with slightly pointed tips as another nod for the name simultaneously Tessa chose for herself as a symbol from her past and all the people she's encountered have called her for the miraculous powers she possesses. White gloves completed her assemble.

Angel was ready to take on the night, to pull the bastards murdering her girls into the light.

* * *

It was earlier in the day that Matt Murdock ran into Father Lantom, the priest of The Cathedral of St. Patrick. He hadn't intended on seeing him, but found it was good to see him nonetheless. Although, it was Matt normally asking Lantom something, the questions were coming from him today.

"Rather frequently in the past couple of weeks, I've been asked numerous questions about angels on Earth. Been told of an angelic being saving people from attacks, which I thought was your job, and visiting hospital rooms, and seemingly healing patients with a touch," the Father began.

Matt turned his ear to Lantom, his head slightly swirling at mention of angels on earth. Though he didn't know why it did, considering it's been established there was life on other planets. But it wasn't suppose to be happening here. Not in Hell's Kitchen.

He paused a moment, slightly rolling his eyes. "Now, before you ask, yes, I believe there are angels in this world; however, they don't tend to manifest themselves in this sort of way. And, though I'm not entirely sure what to think of it, there is a new string of superhuman beings that are nothing short of magical. Not to open my opinion on that can of worms, I was wondering if you'd come across this Angel during one of your nightly activities."

Matt went quiet before he answered. He didn't want to admit it, but in the past three weeks since the death of his friend Elektra and the People vs Frank Castle trial that went so horribly wrong… and the deterioration of his friendship with Foggy Nelson and the distance his semi-girlfriend, Karen Page, was giving him after he admitted to her who he was… he hadn't been too into his nightly responsibilities.

One of his fingers tapped against his cane as he spoke, "I, uh, I actually haven't, Father."

Matt felt the weight of his gaze before Lantom asked, "Have you been out at night recently?"

The look of guilt that crossed Matt's face and tensed his body worked just as well as a verbal answer. He hung his head, turning his gaze to the ground.

"Not that I entirely condone what you do, but I feel like what has come to light by your doing is only the tip of the iceberg. The Angel has seemingly picked up where you left off, but I think she's onto something that's way over her head, especially when the police bring _me_ in for questioning," the Father continued and Matt returned his listening ear, his trapped Daredevil finally escaping.

It was time for him to get his head out of his ass. Just because Matt Murdock's life was falling apart, doesn't mean Hell's Kitchen should too. He didn't know anything about Angel, but Daredevil was soon going to.

"Why? Did they think someone had confessed something to you?" Matt asked, slightly incredulous.

There was a pause, where Matt assumed Lantom shook his head for then he verbally answered "no." Another pause and a deep breath. He was thinking about what he was going to say.

"There have been a string of murders the past three months. You've probably been too caught up with that whole Fisk situation and that Punisher trial to notice. They're starting to look for a serial killer when one of my congregation was found last week. She was the third." Father Lantom's voice turned sorrowful and he heaved a sigh.

Matt took a deep, anguished breath. "I'm so sorry. I haven't-" He shook his head, not finishing that thought, "I have been watching the news, though. It's hasn't made news."

"In the midst of Fisk being a fraud and the mass murders of Frank Castle, how could two murders a month apart make the news? Even how horrific the M.O.'s have been."

"The M.O.'s the thing connecting the murders?" Matt asked, trying to get as much information before he puts the suit back on.

"That, and the fact all they've all been prostitutes," Father Lantom answered.

Matt momentarily chewed his lip, wondering if the killer was just a sick bastard with a need to take a life away or if these girls had something more in common than their profession.

"Well, trust me when I say, Daredevil is on it."

* * *

Angel has a particular sense of feeling the broken around her. Her healing can only heal the physical pains of the body, but emotional and physical pain are often heavily intertwine.

She felt Daredevil's inner turmoil the moment he came within range. Tessa was watching from a deserted building hall, leaning against cracked window's pane. Cars drive slowly down the street and girls disappeared into them. From the outside, it seemed like an ordinary night. Tess sighed, she needed to be on the inside.

The arrival of Daredevil made Angel decide to leave her perch. She'd been anxious to meet him, but she supposed the murder of two lone call girls wasn't worth his time, but of course the prospect of a serial killing piped his interest. Though the mass murdering that Frank Castle could have taken quite a bit of his time.

The vigilante was located at the tallest building on the block, closest to the pickup area. He hid in the dark corner, his eyes intent on the floor before him. Daredevil wouldn't admit it, but he didn't hear her arrival, but through her conflicting childhood, she knew how to inflict pain and heal it all at once, which included being not seen or heard till it benefited her.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up," Angel began, allowing her feet to pad softly against the roof to announce her coming. He stiffened, but didn't turn. "Well, actually, 'were' was starting to become 'if'. It's nice to finally meet you, Daredevil."

"You must be Angel," he said in a low voice. He faced her then, and through his red mask, she could feel his unwavering gaze.

This close, Tessa could distinguish physical pain from emotional pain. She could just _feel_ there was something important he was missing, but whatever it was she couldn't fix it… most likely an injury that has already healed but left him impaired in some sort of way. Tessa gave his leather cladded body a once over. Whatever it was must be internal.

Angel shrugged. "That's what they call me." Even before coming to Hell's Kitchen, they preferred to call her that over her given name. She's always been an angel in living in hell… just at some point it was unclear if the word 'fallen' was included in that title.

"Well, frequenting hospital rooms with supposed healing powers would cause that name to come to mind," He said, taking another step closer. They stood an arms length

"It's a name I've actually answered to for a while, though I'm technically everything but."

"Technically?" Daredevil asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Comes with the stigma of my profession. Angel isn't the same on my birth certificate, but it might as well be," She said, chuckling internally. There weren't birth certificates where she was from. The things that give her kicks...

"So, by night you're an angel and by day a-" He began, but Tessa cut him off.

"I know I'm new to the scene and all, but maybe I can give you my life story at a later time." If they continued this friendly batter, she might forget herself and slip up. "The murder of the girls what brought you here?"

"Recently came to my attention. Why has this brought you to the vigilante side of things?"

"My friend works in this side of town," Angel said cautiously. "I was fine sneaking around hospital rooms till it hit home. And you clearly weren't around. Was it too much on the wrong side of town for you?" Her voice unexpectedly turned bitter.

His lips pursed. "I've been kinda busy with this guy named Frank Castle. You probably haven't heard of him, but he's a mass murderer. Took a bit of my time."

"If I do remember correctly, he went underground weeks ago," She replied, but her tone went soft. An emotional wave of pain flooded her, hitting her profoundly in the heart. Regret. Longing. Loneliness. He wasn't on vacation the past three weeks.

Daredevil opened his mouth to defend himself, but he abruptly clamped his mouth shut. He turned his head toward the direction of the street. His body was so taut it looked like it would snap.

"The building over. This isn't… isn't roleplaying. Her heart is beating too fast." Daredevil took off in the direction behind Angel. She followed at his heels. They reached the edge of the building and he took some sort of weapon from a holder on his hip and snapped it in half. A wire connected the two pieces and he threw one end of it, connecting it to balcony of the apartment building.

* * *

Daredevil barely glanced at Angel before her arms were around his neck and without a second thought, his arms gripped her. They flew through the gap between buildings till their feet hit a window, shattering it. She wasn't sure how they landed, but there was no hesitation from that to running after him.

Matt heard the girl's last heartbeat. He heard her muffled screams, inaudible to the common ear. When the grinding of a saw begin, he heard her last agonized scream before she passed out. Not normally one to be squirmish, but bile built at the back of the throat.

He heard… thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Silence.

They were too late.

Daredevil couldn't tell you the way the room was decorated, but he could tell you that it was recently painted. Red. When he rammed into the door of the room he tracked the girl's screams to, breaking it open, he smell of blood burned his nose and throat and he momentarily lost control, losing whatever that had filled his stomach earlier.

Matt swallowed and pulled himself together when a ragged gasp escaped Angel. "Tiffany!" Her voice came out in a whisper, but the force behind the name made him think it was suppose to be a scream.

"Oh my God, oh my God..." was all Angel could get out for a moment, and Matt tried to hear past her. To possibility hear what way the killer went, but all he shuffled through was the common noises of the night. No running footsteps, no pounding hearts (other than what fell into common noises of the night).

The trail was dead.

Just like this girl. This might not be a part of the city he frequented, but it was part of his city nonetheless. And this bastard was going to pay.

* * *

 **AN:** well, I'm in a new section of the site! I'm still very much into my Flash fanfiction 'Wallflower', but since my hours have been cut at my second job I thought I'd begin this story that's been running through my head. It's not like anything I've ever written, so I'm pushing my comfort zone, and I truly hope you'll let me know how I'm doing. - Anna :)


	2. The Man Under The Mask

**AN: heads up, there is a moment of extreme making out in this chapter. This is as far sex scenes will go, if there is even anymore, so that's why the rating is kept at a T. And since I'm doing an author's note right here, I might as well thank MagicalTurtle11, TwinMama, franzi86, and justanothercomicfan for following my story and vxmpire for favoriting, and just bypass the one at the end. Each time I get the email of a new follower or favoriter, it makes me so excited. Thank y'all so much!**

 **Please let me know what you think so far!**

 **The Man Under The Mask**

Angel knew she was suppose to be strong, knew she wasn't suppose to whimper like she was currently doing. She was suppose to be strong, though she was also suppose to protect the girl that laid in pieces before her. She knew the reports said they had been chopped up, but she imagined small, mess-less chunks. Not fully identifiable pieces- an arm there, a leg here. Yeah… yeah, that was her foot. And the blood. The blood was everywhere. Was there really this much blood in the human body?

It brought her some relief when Daredevil emptied his stomach beside her, the wrenching sound grounding her feet to the spot. The rest of the room still spun out of control, her vision honing into random details of the room like a scene in a horror movie when the camera panes in and out for dramatics. Except now Tess knows it wasn't for dramatics.

She was still muttering, "Oh my God" but when Daredevil put his hand on her shoulder, she stopped and took a long breath. The suffocating smell of blood filled her body, but his hand steadied the spinning room.

"I'm okay. I'm okay..." She said, shrugging off his hand and taking a step further in the room. Tessa wished her vision was doing that horror movie thing again, for she didn't know where to look now. But then her eyes found it and she wished she hadn't taken the extra step. She wished she just turned around and hid tail.

In that moment, Tessa most of all wished she had never been born.

They've found her.

The pale pink ribbon, a relic from the short time she had before _them_ , was unraveled on the dresser, underlining her full name _Thessaly_ that was scratched into the wood.

"Angel?" Daredevil prompted, no doubt in response to all the color that fell from her already color-less face.

Tessa hunched over the dresser and snatched the ribbon from under her name. She glanced back at Daredevil to see whether he saw, but his chin was pointed to the ceiling, listening to something. She shoved the ribbon in her pocket and spun around.

"We need to go. We need to call the police. Tiffany's family..." Horror tingled over her skin, threatening yet again to take over. She had a daughter.

And Tessa wished she could scratch her name from the dresser, like it was never there, but Daredevil was sure to notice that. She should probably mention it to him, as tomorrow was going to be a completely different life as Tessa Smith.

Angel found him look directly at her, suspicious rolling off him in waves. Had he seen…?

"Did you take anything? This is a crime scene, Angel, you can't touch _anything_ if you want him to be caught." His voice was low and dangerous.

She had to lie, she couldn't explain this to him. Furiously shaking her head, she defended herself. "No, I didn't take anything. I want him more than you could ever understand." Her voice turned venomous.

"I heard you touch something," He accused her and she could barely breath.

Tessa paused, before exclaiming, "Well, just take a look then! You didn't see it? There was a name scratched on the desk. I know her. I guess I… I mean, I touched it. I know I shouldn't have, but… I think she's next." Her heart threatened to break from her chest. She tried to remain calm. She had to figure out what to do next, but she couldn't do that here, and she couldn't do it with him. He had to get as far away from this as possible.

Daredevil brushed past her and his own fingers traced the name. "Thessaly."

She nodded stiffly. "Thessaly Smith, goes by T while at work." This was all stuff he was going to found out anyways, Tessa had to find a way to push him off this case.

He nodded once and pushed by her, presumably to leave. Angel followed him.

"Where does she live? We need to check on her," Daredevil asked, but Angel was already shaking her head.

"She's out working, she could be anywhere. Plus he wouldn't have left her name if he planned on doing it right away," Tessa answered, feeling like she was playing with fire.

He gave her a hard look, before pulling out his phone, and dialing a number. Angel tuned out, figuring he was calling 911, her skin crawling with disgust. These people took her from her innocent life and twisted and broke her into something else. She was a monster because of them.

"Well, I don't necessary want to be here when the P.O. show up, so I'm heading out. It was quite the night, thanks for coming," Angel said, and before Daredevil could turn to face her, to tell her to wait, to ask more questions, she didn't know, as the sound of shattering glass drowned him out.

Tess jumped out the window, and by the time he had rushed to see how she landed, she was gone.

* * *

The news of the murders finally broke the next day. It was late morning and Tessa was already at the police station, as she tried to work out a deal that would allow her to continue her job, but it was a losing battle. All of her appointments for the day were canceled as they put a better screening plan in place on who she saw. Tess worked with so many people that wanted to be discreet… she knew she lost most of her clients for when she was allowed to work again.

Even though she was on police watch, she knew she could get out tonight as Angel if she bided her time and was a good girl. The hall to her apartment was where her guards set camp and she holed herself in her room.

Tessa was never one to sit still. Ever. Even when she was a child, even before her family and everything else she knew was destroyed. Always moving, always wanting to learn something new. She wanted to be the best healer there was… the best Angel there was. But Tessa spent her 7th birthday training to kill rather than to save, the only Angel among the Vigan. The only survivor.

At the thought of their name, she took a short breath. To say she wasn't scared senseless and that she wasn't the tiniest bit relieved that she was out for the day would be a lie. These were vicious… 'people'. They taught her to be vicious. Tess had to figure out exactly what the Vigan wanted before someone else was hurt. It couldn't have been to just find her, for they have definitely found her. Unless they're playing games… unless they want revenge.

She pulled at her hair, trying to relieve the pressure that was building and to possibly try to pull the bad memories away… but she didn't deserve that. She made her bed and now she had to lie in it.

Around lunch time, Tessa made sandwiches and coffee to bring it out to her guards. Went back in. Almost went out again to see if they wanted a free session, but thought against it. FINALLY _finally_ finally it was starting to get dark and she was starting to plan how she was going to escape to patrol her chunk of the city, when her cell phone went off.

It was her manager.

"How long till my sentence is up?" Tessa whined when she answered the phone and Sebastian just sighed.

"If you're that desperate to get laid, I've got a guy who'll meet in an hour. He's blind, probably doesn't get around much. He checked out," He suggested, though she could tell he was reluctant to let her out of anyone's sight.

Tessa felt like it would be a bit weird if she didn't take the job. She'd been complaining the entire day and she did need the money… and truthfully, it was the only thing she was good at. The amount of guys she slept with in a day is how she judged her success and today was totally unsuccessful. Plus there was plenty more hours in the night. She bit her lip as she wondered if Daredevil would be there tonight.

"I'll take it."

A heavy sigh was sent through the phone. "Fine, I'll text you the location. His name is Matt Murdock. Go easy on him. No 'T is for Trouble' nonsense..." Sebastian began cautiously.

"I'll do whatever he wants," Tess replied a bit heatedly.

"Just remember to not be insensitive to his disability," He warned. She just rolled her eyes.

"He won't be my first or my last, Seb," She said before hanging up. Moments later, the location where she was suppose to meet this Matt Murdock was in her inbox.

* * *

Matt Murdock would be the first to admit that he was rather experienced in the area of pleasure, but none of them had been bought. A connection had always been had; a couple drinks and laughter, a 'hey, cool shirt', a 'Let's go on a blind date, Matt, you'd be so into this girl and hahaha sorry not sorry'… And he was actually slightly nervous when he called to set up an appointment with Tessa Smith. But he needed answers and she's under 24 hour surveillance. It's not often he plays the blind card, but today… he played the blind card.

He had tried to clean up his apartment before her arrival, and while he was pretty confident there was nothing out of place, he was slightly worried he'd forgotten something. It's not often it's straight up Matt Murdock doing the Daredeviling, but he felt if he had his costume on, it might be a bit weird. Though if Tessa's reputation was good for anything, she was cool with costumes. And… anything.

At 7pm sharp, there was a knock on his door. When Matt let her in, there was a quiet moment where Tessa probably took a look at his place.

"Hi, Tessa. Thanks for coming," Matt said, cringing inwardly at how awkward that sounded. "I mean, I know there is a lot going on for you right now. You'd probably rather be at home, not in a strange guy's apartment."

He got a whiff of strawberry shampoo when she shook her head. "There's nothing I'd rather be doing right now. I'd been on house arrest all day and I just can't stay that still."

The smell of of her shampoo grew stronger when Tessa slowly closed the space in between them.

She slid a finger down his cheek. "Don't make me stay still tonight," Tessa whispered. Her finger turned into a hand down his chest. Despite himself, his breath hitched. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the bedroom.

They stood near the bed, neither of them moving for a second. Then there was no space in between them and Matt's hand was brought up to her soft hair. Tessa's lips brushed against his cheekbone.

"What now?" She asked. He swallowed and her lips trailed down to his Adam's apple.

Matt took a ragged breath and pulled away. "I'm, uhh… I'm a bit nervous, let's take it slow." Not that that was the case, but he wasn't too fond how someone he didn't know was getting to him. He was here to ask questions and questions he must ask. Not to get caught up in a pretty girl and a night with endless possibilities.

He heard a slight intake of breath in annoyance, a quiet noise unnoticeable to most people, but her voice was upbeat when she spoke again, "Of course, Matt. In your own pace."

When he sat at the edge of the bed, Tessa joined him. She sat close, both of their sides touching, but that's all she did for the moment.

"I heard a serial killer is after you," Matt finally said. He said it a tad too bluntly and the honest words hung in the air. He didn't know why, but he felt on edge with her there.

Tessa stiffened and swallowed. He listened closely for a heartbeat as she spoke, "That's what they say." She leaned in close to him again and whispered, "But that's my life, not my job. The only thing I'm worried about is you right now."

Matt tilted his ear towards her, trying to mask the confusion he was feeling off his face. She had no heartbeat. Tessa had no heartbeat. It's not a common thing for someone to hide their heartbeat. He was certain she was more than a prostitute.

"You don't know why..." he began, but then couldn't finish the sentence.

He turned his head to her and she took that as an invitation. She leaned in close enough to see the black rims of his brown eyes.

"You're the only thing on my mind right now," Tessa said. Her eyes went from a deadlock on his, to a deadlock on his lips. She sucked her bottom lip, the sound causing Matt's eyes to dart down. If either of them moved a fraction of an inch, they'd be touching.

Matt could feel Tessa's breath on his face and he swallowed again, trying to calm his pounding heart.

And his thoughts of interrogation flew away.

Karen was never going to speak to him again.

Foggy was never going to speak to him again.

He'd never been more alone in his life and she was here. Tessa was the only one here.

In that moment, it didn't matter she was paid to there.

He moved a fraction of an inch.

It took a fraction of a second for Tessa to climb on his lap and push him back and Matt lost himself in pretty girls and endless possibilities.

* * *

Don't get her wrong, Tessa liked her job, liked the control she had, but she didn't tend to enjoy it. Matt, who was in the business of touch, made her enjoy tonight. She was still in her bra and underwear and she was moaning. Matt was still in his boxer shorts and normally at this point in the game her and her client were skin to skin. Because they wanted sex, they wanted pleasure… the careful way Matt did things made her felt like he wanted love.

Tessa wondered if this was close to what making love felt like.

And then Matt suddenly froze and the warm, fuzzy feeling that had covered her body like a blanket fell away.

"I can't- no. Tessa, stop," he suddenly said against her lips. He pulled his hands away from the rough lacy cup of her bra and she put her hands on his chest to hold herself up.

"What's wrong?" She asked, a little breathlessly.

"I can't… I just can't do this with you. To you..." Matt tried to articulate the thoughts running through his head, but he wasn't doing a good job. Because he didn't entirely want to stop, but he was doing this for all the wrong reasons.

"This is my job, Matt," Tessa replied, her voice getting a little testy.

"But do you want to do this?" He sat up with this question, pushing her away a little bit more.

"This is my _job_ -" She began, her voice hard.

"But do you want to do this?" he repeated himself, cutting her off.

"It doesn't matter what I want!" Tessa finally yelled. "It's what I _do_. It's what I've always done."

"But it's your choice, it's your life, Tessa. You don't have to do this. You could so much more, whatever you put your mind to," Matt said in a soft voice. Where does this bastard get off telling her how to live her life?

"My _choice_ is to have this be my choice. To not have this forced on me like it used to be!" She hissed back at him. She sat rigid on his lap. "Either you're going to get fucked now, or I'm leaving. And I'm still charging for the entire hour."

"I can't do this."

"You're probably a bastard cheating on his freaking girlfriend and you're on your high horse telling me how to live my life!" Tessa replied angrily, rolling off of him and off the bed. She raged around the room, grabbing her clothes, and then went to the living room to grab her coat. She didn't even bother to actually put the clothes back on, just pulled on her coat, and stomped away.

"Look, Tessa, I'm sorry," Matt called, scrambling out of his bed. "If this is what you want to do, then so be it, but it's not for me. I don't want to give away myself like it's nothing. I'm not nothing, even when I have no one."

Tess slammed the apartment door shut and raged into the elevator. Raged in the empty elevator as she put her clothes back on. Put on a smile for the police car that picked her up, raged internally. Kept raging internally till she was alone in her apartment. And then she raged outwardly as she put on her Angel costume.

The difference between them, was she was Nothing. Maybe in the beginning she was going to be something, the best healer, but when her world was destroyed she became Nothing. She was just a toy, a weapon, nothing living, nothing real. And therefore that became what she was good at and now it was her choice. She was in charge. She was in control.

Right?

* * *

Angel watched from her usual perch, wondering if she should walk the street one night. Maybe that'd put her closer to the Vigan. They could spot her a mile away. They could probably spot her now. They probably knew who Angel was…

They did this entire thing to her. The vile, bloodthirsty, uncaring, rage-filled Vigan. There was always going to be a little piece that reverted back to being a fallen Angel in hell. The anger that shook her body was what made her such a good toy… T wasn't for Trouble. It was for tool, toy, target…

The anger buzzed in her fingers till she couldn't take it anymore and she punched the wall, leaving a fist-size hole.

"Well, somebody's in a bad mood," A voice said from behind her. She started, not hearing Daredevil come up behind her. And that's what makes her more Angel than Vigan… her ability to let her emotions run wild.

Tessa stretched her fingers, cracking them. "It's been a long day filled with apartment rooms and douchebags."

"Not sure I even want to know," Daredevil mused, though her day was probably the least of his worries. Waves of regret hit Tessa.

"Your day probably was better," She said, wondering if she could get out what was bothering him.

"Not really," He replied, though it was clear he wasn't going to elaborate. "I talked to Tessa today and it didn't go so well. I think I just managed to come off as a dick."

Angel became very still then. "You… talked to Tessa Smith today?" She felt like she was having an out of body experience. He didn't mean her, Tessa. He had to have meant another Tessa.

Daredevil nodded with a sigh, "And I blew it. Does Tessa know who you are? You sure you don't know why she's being singled out? I think she knows more than she lets on."

Tessa didn't meet too many people today and her mind shot the bastard who tried to tell her how to live her life. The blind guy who must have asked for her in particular because why else would Sebastian put him on her radar? The one asking her questions about the killer… the one who was Matt Murdock. He was so much more than a blind guy needing to get laid. Who was he though?

"Angel?" He prompted, taking a step closer, and she froze from her reverie.

"What, sorry. I just- was thinking about something else for a moment. Apartments and douchebags," She quickly replied, before adding, "Tessa doesn't know anything. We should just leave her out of this. She's under 24 hour surveillance anyways. How did you even get to her?" Angel asked pointedly, and she didn't know whether she imagined the blush that colored the visible parts of his cheeks.

Daredevil- Matt. Matt Murdock looked at her just then (looked? He was _blind_ how did he...) with a curious vibe and his mind must of went off somewhere else for a second.

"I think we should keep an eye on her. We're not called vigilantes for nothing," He joked slightly. 'Slightly' because he was dead serious, but saying it in a joking way.

"I'm pretty sure I haven't gotten the title of vigilante from anybody yet," Angel commented.

"You have from me."

"Well… thanks." Angel didn't know entirely what to say to that, but she thought it was a compliment. Though she wasn't sure she wanted to take compliments from him right now. Most of her anger at him earlier has died away, but there was still a flicker burning.

Though Tessa knew she was mostly mad at him for being right.

"There's not much more to do right now. Keep an eye on Tessa and when he comes for her, be close by."

"I'll take Tessa watching duty for tonight, but I don't think he's going to attack yet. The first three were exactly one month apart, the last one was exactly seven days. This is thought out. I think another seven days," Angel told him, and he nodded slowly.

"Okay for tonight, but if you need me, call me. It's for a burner phone and if you don't have one yet, you should get one." Matt pulled a small piece of paper with a phone number scrawled across it and handed it to her.

She nodded once, and then remembered he couldn't see that, so she answered out loud, "Thanks. I'll get on that."

Daredevil nodded in response and then turned around and left her in the hall with now a wall with a fist-size hole in it.

Tessa was equal parts disappointed and equal points relieved he didn't wait with her.


End file.
